The history of the most outstanding monument of medieval Portuguese architecture and one of the main attractions of Lisbon is closely intertwined with the Age of Discovery. In the ancient Hieronymites Monastery, the legendary explorer and discoverer Vasco da Gama and his men spent their last night in prayer before sailing to the shores of India. Later, they celebrated the successful end of the expedition here. At that time, there was only a modest old chapel founded by the son of King John I (Joao), Henry the Navigator, on the site of the future monumental Hieronymites Monastery. The monastery was built a few years later by the order of King Manuel I of Portugal in honor of the end of the explorers' journey. The fact that the sea route to India, opened by Vasco da Gama, had made Portugal rich was later reflected in the construction of the monastery. It took more than a hundred years and the incredible efforts of the country's most talented architects to create this monument of sacred architecture of the early 16th century so that it could finally open its spacious doors to all those wishing to pray for the king and brave sea travelers.

Today, the Catholic Hieronymites Monastery is a World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. It houses stunning collections of rare and valuable exhibits from two popular museums: the National Archaeological Museum and the Maritime Museum with a huge anchor at the entrance. The monastery building itself is no less impressive. Take your time and enjoy its majestic appearance to the full. Be sure to see the southern openwork portal, lavishly decorated with stone carvings and numerous sculptures with the statue of Henry the Navigator atop. The entire monastery is made in the Manueline style. Take a walk in the refined openwork gallery, the cloister, where the monks prayed and meditated. Take a look at the sumptuous refectory, decorated with 18th-century azulejo tiles depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. And visit the tombs of King John I (Joao) and his wife, John III (Joao) and Catherine of Austria, whose tombstones stand on huge marble elephants.